Musical Instrument Sales Highlights

We have had an incredible year for musical instruments in 2019 and look forward to our next specialist musical instrument sale which will be held on the 27th February. Listed below are some of this year’s highlights:

The White Falcon one of the most iconic and eye catching instruments of the Gretsch line up. First produced in 1954 as a showcase for the NAMM music show, it received such adoration it went into production and has remained in the Gretsch catalogue to this day. The instrument featured in our 25th April Musical Instrument Sale was made in 2008 to commemorate 125 years of that ‘Great Gretsch Sound’ and was spotted on display in our reception cabinet some time before the auction. Following a bidding war in the room the White Falcon sold for £2,150.

Just as stunning looking as the White Falcon if not more was the Vega III or Vegavox banjo. Vegavox was a design of banjos the Vega company pioneered in partnership with ‘The King of the Banjo’ Eddie Peabody. Eddie Peabody co designed two revolutionary banjos during his 50 year career in showbiz banjo playing, the Vegavox being probably the most significant. This good looking four string sold for £1,000.

Retro analog keyboards are certainly becoming hot property despite todays largely digital world and the Korg Trident we featured in our April sale was very much contested for selling for £1,500. The Trident was originally released in 1980 loaded with many unique voice architecture features and found favour with many groups and musicians including Rick Wakeman, Joe Zawinul and Phoenix.

Joe Bonamassa is an advocate of ‘vintage players guitars’ ie instruments that have non original features allowing them to be within the financial reach of players rather than just the wealthiest of collectors. The ES-5 that headlined our October auction is certainly a players instrument rather than a collectors’ item to be locked away in a glass case as the instrument shows signs of modification to suit the needs of a gigging musician or musicians who have enjoyed it’s rich tones over the last 70 years. Despite these modifications the instrument still went on to sell for £3,800 to a buyer in the South of England.

Keyed Bugles (as apposed to the regular non keyed bugle) are seldom seen and played today however they were once revolutionary. The design for a keyed bugle was first patented in England in 1810, its ability to play melodies and fanfares grabbed attention from military bands as well as civilian dance bands of the first half of the 19th century. By the 1860’s the piston valve system rendered the keyed bugle obsolete. This rare brass instrument by Wood and Ivy London attracted huge attention and sold for £800 in our April Sale.

The Gibson Les Paul Standard, a music industry workhorse, but there was nothing standard about this 1982 Les Paul Standard. From a limited edition and finished in ‘rocket metallic red’ this guitar was fitted with an ebony (as apposed to rosewood) fingerboard and had gold hardware. These eye catching appointments were appreciated by plenty of guitarists and the Les Paul went on to sell for £1,700.

Musical Instrument Sales for 2020

We will be holding three specialist musical instrument auctions in 2020 scheduled for: Thursday 25th June Thursday 29th October.

Entries are now accepted for our February sale. Should you have any musical instruments you are considering selling we would be pleased to hear from you. Please contact Chris Large on 01270 623878 or email chris@peterwilson.co.uk